Four Houses Shikako Could Have Been Sorted Into
by MathIsMagic
Summary: (And One That Was Her Home): Because bravery, cunning, intelligence, and loyalty are not mutually exclusive, and the Sorting Hat takes a person's wants and values into account. Recursive fanfic of Silver Queen's Dreaming of Sunshine, but not necessary reading to enjoy. Complete, but still adding drabbles at the end when inspiration strikes.
1. Gryffindor

**Four Houses Shikako Could Have Been Sorted Into (And One That Was Her Home)**

 **AN: T** his story was originally written for the Dreaming of Sunshine Crossover Fanfiction Forum, but it's big enough that it really needs its own fic. It's based on Silver Queen's OC Shikako (Shikamaru's sister) from the amazing story _Dreaming of Sunshine_ being subsequently reborn in the Harry Potter universe. There was a debate as to which house she would end up in. This was my response, to bring things back on topic. It's probably not entirely necessary to read to get this, if you just think of these as 4 potential OC's, but if you like Naruto, you should read DoS at sometime anyways, so... this can be your incentive to do it now, or something.

Naming notes will be at the end of each ficlet.

Gryffindor

1\. Elaine "Lainy" Weasley is the fourth Weasley of her generation, almost a year younger than Percy, but slated for the same school year because he barely missed the cut off for the year before.

2\. Having so many older brothers is something of a shock after growing up with one sibling. She is, of course, used to having extended and adopted family around, but it's something different altogether to be smashed together with three other people that all look like you and all need the same two people to take care of them. She thinks she likes it.

It's a good thing she's always been fairly independent, though. It's not that her parents are neglectful or anything, far from it. They love her and her brothers very much, and almost smother them with care and affection. It's just that she now has three rambunctious brothers (Five, by the time she can walk and talk), and there's limited resources in the family. As the interloper, she tries not to take more from her beloved brothers than she has to.

3\. She loves her family. Really, she does. But sometimes they embody the worst parts Shikako's boys – pranking, moodiness, immaturity – and she wants to scream. The urge to murder someone is soooo much easier to relish in when you don't actually have the means to do it.

4\. _Hmm. Smart, Clever, Hard Working… but brave, so very brave. And more than a little reckless. Better join your brothers in GRYFFINDOR._

5\. Percy follows her into Gryffindor almost immediately. She thinks he probably would have been happier in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff (or even Slytherin, if this was a different era where the house was less tied to Death Eaters), but Weasleys _always_ go into Gryffindor. Elaine knows he's brave enough to qualify for Gryffindor– he continues to stand up to Fred and George, after all, and she knows he'll ultimately always fight for his family – but he's just so… _not reckless._ Gryffindors drive her poor brother crazy. Perhaps it's for the best, though. _Someone_ has to be the voice of reason, and it's nice that it won't always have to be her.

6\. Even with her natural curiosity growing up, she learns that Hogwarts still has a lot to teach her. The adults tell her she's 'too young' for a lot of what she wants to know. She's related to Fred, George and Ron as much as Percy, though, and realistically it's only Forbidden if you get caught.

7\. She and Percy both make prefect, unfortunately the same year Harry, Ron and Hermione are slated to come to Hogwarts for the first time. It's a bit of a rough year, though Percy says it might have been better if she hadn't ended her Prefect's welcoming speech to the house with " _don't get caught_."

8\. "Red hair, freckles, hand-me-down robes… you must be a Weasley!" _No kidding,_ is her first thought. Lainy is used to clans with similar traits, and how recognition is a necessary skill to make sure you don't go down on the wrong side of a kekkei genkai. With this (Malfoy?) boy's level of deduction, he might even have been able to figure out that someone with brown hair and white eyes is a Hyuuga, or maybe that someone with red eyes wearing a fan crest on their back is an Uchiha. _Idiot._ Lainy rolls her eyes, ready to step in, but Ron's got everything under control. She beams with pride in her little brother. It's soooo entertainging to see a gobsmacked Malfoy.

9\. She can't even be mad when she finds out three first years took it upon themselves to "solve" a mystery and "stop" Voldemort from returning. She would have done the same thing when she was their age (the first time) and they _did_ succeed in their goal with no fatalities. Percy thinks she's lost her mind. She helps Fred and George prank his room when they return to the Burrow at the end of term.

10\. Percy is a bit of a pompous worrier, but Lainy's usually more understanding. Ginny could come to her with her problems when they were growing up (and who do you think taught her to pick the lock on the quidditch shed?), so she comes to Lainy with her fears over the diary. Lainy promises they'll deal with it together. It takes a little while, but Shikako's always been good at blowing things up.

11\. No one understands why the dementors affect her so badly. The Weasleys are a good family, so she shouldn't have such terrible memories. People start to ask uncomfortable questions, until she tells Dumbledore about the diary, and how it must have affected her. He quietly gets those questions dropped.

12\. Her boggart, just like her mother's, is her loved ones, hurting and dying. She never manages a ridduklus charm that succeeds. There's nothing funny about such things.

13\. When she graduates, she is offered a position as Professor Babbling's apprentice for her rune work. She eagerly accepts the chance to work towards the equivalent of a seal mastery. Her younger siblings complain that she'll still be around Hogwarts to boss them around.

14\. She's so mad that she isn't one year younger when the Triwizard Tournament is announced.

15\. When "Mad Eye" takes Harry away after the Third Task, Lainy follows. She stuns him before he finishes monologuing, and stands guard over him when Harry and Dumbledore leave. Lainy senses the Dementor long before it gets near Crouch Jr., and her Patronus stops him from being immediately kissed, so Crouch's soul survives long enough for Voldemort's dirty little secret to reach the masses. Lainy punches Percy rather than let him side with the Ministry.

16\. Lainy argues with her mother over the Order issue. The 'kids' were involved in the thick of things, and they'd be safer knowing than not. Besides, with what they'd been through, they really were grown up enough for this. Lainy doesn't just think that because twelve was the legal age of adulthood in her past life, either. Objectively, they really are quite grown up.

17\. Whether Snape is a competent Defense teacher or not, extra practice is never a bad idea. Lainy uses her power as a TA to restart the Defense Association, officially this time. Harry acts as the team captain to her coach, and they drill those poor, unblooded kids into the ground.

18\. DA students, despite being in the thick of the fight, have the highest survival rate in the midnight skirmish against the Death Eaters that invade Hogwarts. Lainy loses three fingers on her off hand to wasting curse, but manages to take down the entire squad of Death Eaters in her corridor.

19\. Lainy stays at Hogwarts as long as she can under the New Order. When the Carrows shoot a potentially lethal cutting spell at a first year muggleborn, it's the last straw. She pulls the young girl out of the way and draws the dark siblings into a duel. The ensuing battle gives the girl the time she needs to make it safely to the room of requirement with the others. Lainy uses some well-placed runes to mimic her old touch blast, and disappears into the shadows, retreating to fight another day.

20\. Bellatrix aims a killing curse at her baby sister. Lainy steps in to take it instead. It doesn't kill her, thanks to Harry's sacrifice, and gives her mother a chance to rally and take the crazed woman down. For months after, Percy yells or scowls over her stupidity every time he sees her. She says she loves him too.

21\. She helps George make the fireworks for Fred's funeral. She hopes one day to find her way to the afterlife so she can ask if he enjoyed them.

XxXxX

*Elaine means "fawn" (aka: girl deer) and fits with the Weasley scheme of old-fashioned muggle names. (William, Ronald, George, Percy…)


	2. Hufflepuff

*The idea that each house gets a special privilege and that Hufflepuff's is Unanimous Voice comes from a great Cedric-focused fic I read a while ago called FINDING HIMSELF. Chapter 32 expands on the specifics. If you're interested in a world where Cedric survives the Graveyard, but ends up crippled, you should check it out.

XxXxX

Darby Longbottom doesn't understand why the rest of her family doesn't love her twin as much as she does. He's brilliant, and she tries to boost his confidence to match, but she can't entirely hide her own, more traditional genius. Her shadow is too long for him to escape, growing up, and her encouragements are not entirely enough to outweigh the disappointment evident from the rest of the family.

XxXxX

When they get to Hogwarts and the hat is put on her head, she wants Hufflepuff. She's a hard worker, and the perception of it being a house for 'duffers' will somewhat dull people's ability to see how she shines. Maybe then they will see Neville for what he is.

 _Yes, with your loyalty you will do well in HUFFLEPUFF,_ the hat concurs.

Neville, after a surprisingly long time under the hat, gets sorted into Gryffindor. Darby claps and cheers as much as any of the Gryffindors, glad that the Hat, at least, recognizes Neville's courage. After the feast, though, he comes up to her with worry in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry! Please don't be mad!" he pleads.

"What?" She blinks, and Neville looks down, abashed. That wasn't what she expected at all.

"I… I don't know what the hat was doing, thinking I'm _brave_ and you're some sort of… _duffer_." He whispers the last word with a sort of urgent indignation on her behalf. It would be cute, if it weren't so insulting.

"Okay, first of all, don't be rude about my house." He clenches his hands into fists and stares even harder at the ground, chagrined by her harsh rebuke. She softens and puts her hand on his shoulder to make him look up before saying, "Look, Neville. Loyalty and hard work are good descriptors for me. And 'Brave' is a good descriptor for you."

Given how upset this conversation is clearly making him, Darby can already see the Gryffindor set in his spine when he tries to argue with her anyways. She shuts him down. "No, really. I bet, by the end of the year, you'll see that too."

At the end of term feast, when Neville wins Gryffindor the house cup, Darby mouths _I told you so_ at him across the hall.

XxXxX

Things are fine enough – if you ignore, y'know, all the near-deaths in the castle – for the next couple years. Then, one day in her third year, Darby finds the rumor mill churning with details of her brother's defense class. Darby is stricken when Lavender Brown confirms the Snape-Boggart rumor.

She had no idea how bad things were. How badly _that man_ was hurting _her_ twin. When Darby was Shikako, she once upturned an entire division of Konoha's bureaucratic structure because someone insulted Shikamaru. Certainly she could think of something to… deal with the problem here.

Unfortunately, a devastating reprisal does not immediately present itself this time, so Darby heads to the library to determine her options. She gets lucky, and it only takes a few hours in the library – and a consultation with Professor Sprout – to find a possible route of reprisal.

The solution is too perfect to pass up, but… it's going to be such a drag. Even as Shikako, she _hated_ public speaking.

XxXxX

The Hufflepuff common room was more crowded than Darby had ever seen it. That was to be expected, though. The whole house was here today, which is not something that happens by accident. In fact, it had taken her three weeks to organize this little meeting so that every member of the house could be present, on top of two weeks it took her to gather all the evidence she needed.

She takes one last headcount to reassure herself that indeed _every_ member of her house is here – that point is essential – before standing up. The room immediately goes silent, as curiosity overrides even the need to argue for better seating in the crowded commons.

"I'm sure you all are wondering why I've assembled us here today, when we don't even have a quidditch match to celebrate." Eyes roll at the obviousness of that statement, but oddly, her weak joke helps tensions relax. Good. This is going to be hard enough without everyone on edge expecting the worst.

"Some of you may already know this, but each of the four houses was given a special privilege at the founding of the school. Hufflepuff was awarded the privilege of Unanimous Voice. If Hufflepuff conducts an anonymous vote that unanimously agrees on a proposition, the School Board and the Ministry _must_ listen to us, the same as if a quorum vote occurs over a piece of legislation in the Wizengamot. Together, we're more powerful than anyone would think 'a bunch of Duffers' could be."

"So, what. We should remind everyone we have power too? This isn't Slytherin, we don't need that kind of recognition," Jacob Finch-Fletchy, Justin's older brother accuses.

"No. That's not what I want. I'm here today asking for your help. We have a responsibility to use that power for the well-being of the school. For too long, we and our fellow students have been alternatively bullied and neglected by a member of Hogwarts staff. This is unacceptable.

"No teacher should make his students cry, or threaten to poison them and their familiars, or deliberately ignore pranks by his own house that endanger students from other houses. No teacher should so throw off the balance of points between the houses that his own house as won the cup nearly every year he's been teaching. No teacher should be so poor at teaching his subject, that fewer N.E.W.T.s have been awarded in each of the last twelve years than have been awarded in any year prior to his tenure."

"No teacher should be so awful that he's one of his student's Boggarts?" Susan Bones, as on of her year mates and niece to the notoriously direct Amelia Bones, is the first to understand what Darby's final straw was.

Darby steadily meets her eyes. "Yes. That." Susan looks away first, and Darby returns her attention to the rest of the house. "Many, if not all of you know how poorly Snape has treated my brother. I'm sorry that my final straw is someone that is not of this house, that is not _ours,_ but he is _mine._ Professor Snape has tormented _my_ brother, and that is something I cannot tolerate. Regardless of my instigating reasons, do not forget the harm he has done to and allowed to happen to our house and our school. I refuse to stand by and let him torment another student the way he has tormented Neville.

"I call for a vote of No Confidence in Professor Snape."

There was an uproar of exclamations. Even half-expecting it was coming, those who were familiar with Unanimous Voice didn't quite believe she would demand something so audacious. Most people were willing to concede that Snape was doing a bad job –nearly everyone had stories of injustices done to their friends and family - but to declare No Confidence in his teaching was to basically demand his resignation. That just... it wasn't done! Others countered that Snape's biases and bulling just _weren't done_ either. Darby nearly lost control of the meeting.

Luckily, Cedric Diggory and Helen Johnson, one of the seventh-year prefects, stepped in to control the flow of the debate.

"This is going to make Dumbledore and Hogwarts look bad. Certainly there's another official channel for us to voice our complaints…" Someone protested.

"There isn't," Darby counters, "At least, not one that hasn't been utilized. If Dumbledore wanted to avoid this, he should have done something to curb Snape's atrocious behavior after one of the seventeen complaint reports I was able to find evidence of from the last three years."

"What? Dumbledore _knows?_ "

"He knows. I don't know what his reasons for retaining Snape are, and I don't care. It is _never_ okay for a Professor to abuse his position the way Snape has."

Most of the 'Puffs do want to see the evidence she had so meticulously collected, and a slow agreement that this was the only option left was reached. That avenue eliminated, the discussion turned to whether Snape _should_ be removed. Darby was more than prepared to counter nearly every protest that arose, swaying opinion to her side. The very few she hadn't anticipated were often answered by older students. In fact, their answers probably swayed the debate the most. Everyone knew and could understand Darby's personal stake in this motion. In contrast, the older students were seen as more knowledgeable and less biased. As it became clear more and more of the oldest students supported the motion, the tide of opinion turned.

Finally, nothing was left to say. Darby passes out small pieces of parchment, and instructed her housemates to draw a circle to approve the motion, and an X to counter. A bag is passed around, and everyone drops their papers inside. Helen takes it upon herself to act as the neutral judge, and takes the count. Seventy-three circles; zero X's.

The next morning, the entirety of the Hufflepuff house arrives late, but together, to breakfast. The other houses and even the teachers fall silent, watching them as they stream into the otherwise full Great Hall and move not to their table, but to stand in a line down the center of the hall. Their six prefects break off to stand directly in front of the staff table, with Helen directly in front of Dumbledore. She opens up a formal scroll, like a crier of old, and begins to read.

"I, Helen Johnson, seventh year prefect of the Hufflepuff House, stand here in front of you, Staff and Students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with full endorsement of my fellow Hufflepuffs. I speak as their Unanimous Voice. In light of egregious trespasses committed by a member of the Hogwarts Staff against the Students of Hogwarts, Hufflepuff is induced to act, in fullness of our power. To that end, we call for a vote of No Confidence, asking for the immediate resignation and replacement of Professor of Potions Severus Snape."

Like in the Hufflepuff common room, all hell immediately breaks loose. Many students are asking each other what this means. Those that do are protesting or endorsing the statement. Fred and George get and explanation, and break out into raucous cheers.

Darby ignores it. She has eyes only for the murderous-looking man at the end of the staff table. As if he senses her, Snape's eyes snap to meet hers. He sneers down at her. She stares back at him with a smile.

*Neville was a prestigious English family surname, back in the day. Darby is also a traditional English surname, meaning a forest full of deer.


	3. Ravenclaw

Ravenclaw

Leola Lovegood arrives at Hogwarts ready to teach the Wizarding world some new ways of thinking.

Leola's older sister Luna had so been looking forward to Hogwarts. Luna had always been a curious girl, and loved sharing her new knowledge with her family. She was ready to learn, and to meet new people with whom to share that learning. Leola understood. She was close to her older sister, but the two didn't really have anyone else their age to play with, and there's only so many discoveries you can share when there's only two people around to listen to you.

When Luna went to school, her letters home were filled with wondrous descriptions of Hogwarts and the things she was learning there. There were no mentions of friends. Luna hadn't quite been the same since their mother's death, but Leola knows how to deal with her sister's coping mechanisms. It seems the other students aren't quite so used to having to look for the brilliance in Luna's whimsical rambling.

Their father is very perceptive about certain things, and completely oblivious about others, so Leola isn't sure if he picked up on this discrepancy. If he did, he's certainly not doing a good job of helping the older girl deal with this turn of events. When Leola joins her sister at Hogwarts the next year, she's ready to make up for his failings.

 _You have a clever mind indeed. I think they'll enjoy learning from you in RAVENCLAW._

The hat's not wrong. Wizard's aren't really into 'logic' or 'the scientific method' so Leola's experiments are viewed with the same curiosity as Luna's conspiracy theories. By which she means her housemates looked at her work and asked, "Is she for _real_?" By the time she starts trying to mimic Jutsu and use hand seals to perform magic rather a wand, Luna looks downright sane in comparison.

People stop snickering when her research and experiments begin to pay off. Leola is only a first year, and she's already doing things that have never been done with magic before, at least not in recorded history. People don't look down on the Lovegood sister quite so much after that.

By the time the second war comes along, earth, lightening, and shadows all bend to Leola's will. She almost pities the fools who support dare tamp across her wards to support Voldemort in the Battle for Hogwarts. Almost, but not quite. She has so missed getting to blow things up.

Excerpt (that grew longer than the ficlet):

0\. "What are you doing, Leola?" A dreamy voice interrupts Leola's attempts to lay out a chronology of Lockhart's 'deeds'.

"I was reading your DADA textbooks, and noticed some inconsistencies. I think he's lying about his accomplishments. If you read his books, the timeline doesn't add up."

Luna's face is still serene, but her eyes are sharp. A week into classes, Leola hears that Luna interrupted her Defense class to wonder how Lockhart was in Albania and Romania at the same time, and if he got assistance from the Evil Vampire Confederacy and the research they've done into illegal time-space tampering.

People want to dismiss it as Luna's normal babble, but it only takes one or two Ravenclaw students to get curious, check Luna's citations, and realize she's right. The scandal sweeps through the school. Lockhart is forced to work very hard to be a good teacher and 'prove' he's not an incompetent liar.

1\. "I'm sorry Professor Snape outed you like that. It was a very unkind thing for him to do," Leola says when she goes to visit Professor Lupin after hearing of his resignation. "We'll miss you. You're the best Defense teacher I've ever had."

"While I very much appreciate your support, I must say I am the _only_ Defense Professor you've ever had," Professor Lupin replies with a kind smile.

"You're the best Defense Professor Cho says she's ever had, then."

"Well in that case, thank you. That's very kind."

"You should consider contacting my dad. He'd probably be interested in any Defense or Creature topics you might be interested in writing about. Freelancers usually write for free, but _The Quibbler_ runs enough adds to pay for a few columnists. It's not the Prophet or anything, but it's a good way to get your knowledge out there, at least to a few people."

He looks at her thoughtfully. "I'll keep that in mind, Miss Lovegood. Thank you."

"Good luck, Professor. I'm sorry people are so awful about things they don't understand."

"Me too, Leola. Me too."

2\. "Miss Lovegood, what are you doing with Professor Moody's flask?"

"Luna was worried about his health, Professor Flitwick, so I promised her I nick the flask to make sure he wasn't drinking anything too strong. I was going to give it back, but this seems to be, based on the things I've read, Polyjuice Potion. Now why would he be drinking that?"

"A curious question, indeed. I need to take this to Professor Dumbledore. Will you please find Professor McGonagall, and send her that way? Discreetly, please…

3\. "Hem, hem. Why are you not reading your textbook, Ms. Lovegood?"

"Leola says that if book learning was all it took to be competent at Defense, Ravenclaws would make up most of the Auror department. Aurors are mostly Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, though, according to the latest census. What a peculiar discrepancy. Maybe it's due to poor planning by the Goblin Brotherhood that secretly controls the Ministry… Well, you'd know more about that than I would. Or maybe not. With your fashion taste, I suspect you have a pretty bad infestation of Nargles in your brain. Until you get them treated, you probably won't be very competent at much of anything."

Umbridge turns purple and gives Luna a month's worth of detentions. Later, when Leola hears about it, she hugs Luna, incredulous at her stupidity – and her bravery. They're almost done with the rune work needed to bypass the Blood Quill. With this new set of punishments, they should have plenty of time to get through what Leola calls the "beta testing phase." Soon enough, they'll be able to distribute these amongst the other students. Not only should these block the effects of the quill, but they should be able to gather all of the evidence needed to prove her malicious, illegal deeds.

4\. It's sad that Snape is one of the better Defense teacher's she's had. That doesn't mean he's not still an awful person, though. Putting up with Luna's hair-brained schemes is enough punishment for now, she decides. She'll safe the explosions for the anniversary of Lupin's resignation.

5\. _The Carrows suck!_

Leola finishes the last bit of graffiti, and steps back to admire her and the other DA member's handiwork. This one's a bit childish, but with any luck, the seals she's been placing will continue to be overlooked in the face of these more irritating, blatant violations. She doesn't know how much longer they can keep doing this, but at least she's laid seals in many of the most tactically advantageous locations in case the war makes it here for real.

She may or may not have also gotten some touch blasts on to the Carrows during class. She can't wait to see how they feel about destruction then.

6 and 7. Professor Zabini is amazing, and Leola wonders where this _actually competent_ woman has been all her life. Leola doesn't give her _any_ trouble at all.

*Leola is an Anglo-Saxon name meaning deer, like Luna is a Latin name meaning moon. Also: Alliteration.


	4. Slytherin

Slytherin

1a. Iris Potter knows that the world is out for her twin. She also knows where his biggest problems are going to come from. Well, she's been further behind enemy lines before, and this is the best way for her to make a difference. She looks across the hall, at her naïve, _happy_ brother, and braces herself.

 _You will do great things in SLYTHERIN,_ The Sorting Hat whispers in her mind and shouts to the world.

 _I'm counting on it._

1b. For all that Slytherin is supposed to be the house of ambition and cunning, the latter trait has been sorely diluted by the glory-seekers among certain factions coveting the prestige of Lord Voldemort's own house. It is disappointingly easy to manipulate the house of manipulators.

Even Snape, master manipulator and triple-spy for the two most wily, powerful men in Wizarding Britain, has one glaringly obvious weakness. Lily Potter's daughter looks like her mother except for the eyes, not that that matters when said eyes are filled with tears. She learns to play Snape like, well, not a fiddle; she's never been very musical, but something like Kankuro plays with his puppets. No one seems to realize the foundation she is laying. The game is set, and no one here comes close to matching Shikamaru's shogi skills.

2a. Iris handles Dobby – she has a great understanding of the Malfoys after a year of living with one of them. Dobby stops interfering. No one is charged for underage magic use, no one puts bars on their window, and no one stops them from getting to school unscathed.

2b. Lockhart is an incompetent fool who is wasting her time. He gets removed from his teaching position when his scandalous lies are revealed a few weeks into term. It turns out that Blaise Zabini's maternal aunt fights the dark natural magicks of the Congo. She submits her name to take over for the term when Blaise writes her about their troubles and mentions the book deal his esteemed friend Ms. Potter is willing to sponsor.

2c. Their fierce new professor confiscates Ginny's diary, and delivers the dark artifact to Dumbledore. She's a also good teacher and an interesting woman to read about. Iris makes back the loan on her cut of the book in the first six months of sales.

3a. Iris is back in Tsukiyomi. She screams and screams and nothing changes but the specific images of the black on red. The next thing she knows is the after taste of hot chocolate in her mouth. Apparently, that's the preferred magical remedy for this sort of thing. She finds out that she reacted so poorly to the Dementors, that she's been out for a week.

When she campaigns to have them removed from the school, the public is on her side. The ministry has no choice but to fold when the Dementors storm the quidditch pitch and almost kill her brother.

3b. Iris works harder to learn the Patronus than she has for almost anything else in this life. She thinks of a future where Harry's safe and happy, or a past where Naruto's Konoha was peaceful and happy, and an armor-clad Stag bursts from her wand. Heijomaru's form confirms that deer were the right summons for her after all.

3c. Harry shares the Marauders map with her and she spends all year trying to make a copy. She stares at the thing so much that she happens to be looking when Sirius, Pettigrew and the Golden Trio head under the Whomping Willow. She sends Professor Sprout down to the Willow with concerns about its odd behavior, and calls in a favor owed to get a 5th year Slytherin boy to stall Snape. Pettigrew stills gets away, but no one gets executed or Kissed. She grudgingly accepts this outcome.

4a. She senses Crouch Junior under the cloak. She must have been influenced by the Gryffindor's she'd been living with all Summer, because she brashly pulls off the cloak in the middle of the Minister's Box, and a fight ensues. Wands are no match for an elf protecting her master, though, and he gets away. At least they get the real Mad-Eye Moody for a professor.

4b. Karkaroff must be trying to redeem himself, because Harry's name still comes out of the Goblet. Iris isn't even all that surprised, any more. Lucky Sevens indeed. She teaches him earth walking to deal with the dragon. Water walking and tracking tags likewise cut down his time under the lake. She wakes up in his arms in cold water, to Harry winning his second challenge in a row. Between his head start and the things Iris has taught him over the years, Harry beats Cedric to the cup in the Third Task by miles, and gets portkeyed away alone. He comes back alive, but now Voldemort is too.

5a. The Order of the Phoenix won't let them into meetings, but Fred and George's extendable ears are the brilliant magic she expects. Iris rolls her eyes at some of the things they're speculating about. Mostly, she's glad for this world's kid gloves when it comes to child rearing and war. Sometimes, though, she longs for Konoha's pragmatism. When the meeting's over, she doesn't pretend, like the others, she didn't hear anything. She marches straight up to Mad Eye Moody (the most practical adult in this bunch) and hands him a piece of parchment with her notes from the meeting.

"What's this?"

"A list of answers to some of the questions we heard you asking."

"What?"

"You do realize I live with most of those people's kids, right? People talk."

That's how, at fourteen, she becomes the youngest spy ever against Voldemort.

5b. Over the course of the school year, Umbridge gains power and starts the inquisitorial squad. Iris deliberately cedes the powerful positions to Malfoy and his cronies. The smarter Slytherins catch on to what this means.

 _I'm not in charge of Umbrige's regime because I don't want to be. Because she is the losing side. Not because I couldn't be._

She's right. By the end of the year, Umbridge falls. Between that and his father's humiliation, Malfoy falls too. Slytherin belongs to her.

6a. Slughorn is more than just an opportunity. He's a downright inspiration. Iris knows they'll do great things together.

6b. She didn't know Harry and Dumbledore were leaving for the cave until Death Eaters pull her from her bed. Apparently, one of the Death Eater's kids let them in. Most of her housemates don't like one of their own being attacked. Between the other students' rebellion and a few well-placed touch blasts, she gets free, and the Death Eaters are beaten back. She rallies her "loyal" Slytherins, and anyone that sat out or joined the death eaters in the fight is stunned and put under guard. Under Iris' careful direction, the older kids set up traps and a watch shift to protect the younger ones.

When Slughorn comes to break the news of what happened the previous night, he clearly didn't expect to step into a battleground, bloody corpses and all.

When the rest of the school hears that Slytherin was besieged last night, that they had the most injuries and took down the most Death Eaters, and that most of them categorically aligned themselves against Voldemort, opinions begin to change.

6c. Most of the Slytherin house stands proudly at Dumbledore's funeral. It's been a long time since the other houses have truly accepted Slytherin, but they have shown their true strength now. Hogwarts battle lines are drawn between Death Eaters and not, rather than between houses.

7a. A dozen extra wands on their side and a number of hesitating Death Eaters on the other side makes more of a difference in the Battle for Hogwarts than you might expect.

7b. When it's all over, when Voldemort's dead and their dead are being honored, Iris finally gets the full story. Fear and anger blaze in her, briefly, at his secrets and lies but she knows she's a hypocrite.

Dumbledore was in Gryffindor because he believed in his own righteousness, but he sure would have made a great Slytherin.

*Iris- A flower, like Lily or Petunia. Symbolizes eloquence, and depending on the color, can also mean passion, wisdom, or faith. Species are found in nearly all parts of the world, including Japan, America, and England. Not related to deer, as far as I know.


	5. And One That Was Her Home

AN: So this is what was originally the fifth and final planned chapter to go with the 4 Houses + 1 Home theme. Given that, in the process of posting this, I was already inspired by comments to write 2 whole extra chapters at a total of 6,000 words, I'm going to assume that additional drabbles may be forthcoming if people give me inspiration or requests. Basically, **I'm marking this 'complete' but may still add to it in the future.**

Thanks to everyone, especially commenters and reviewers, for your support. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and have enjoyed getting here with me.

Number 7 Grove Lane

Other than a rather unfortunate first name, Cordelia Granger has no indication that this life is anything other than a reincarnation back into her 'original' world for the first few years of her life. Then, Hermione is born. Suddenly, the world is far more dangerous than she could have imagined, especially for her new baby sister. She gets to work.

There's not much to do at first, since she hasn't 'learned' about the magical world yet. With direct research and preparations out, she instead starts to hone herself. She gets herself back into shape, and asks her parents to put her in a martial arts course as a cover for when she starts working through her old taijutsu stances again. When her sister is old enough, Cordelia encourages her to join in.

Hermione is less than enthused at the physical exercise, but Cordelia was once _Shikamaru_ ' _s_ sister. She knows how to get unmotivated people moving. Hermione's not the best at Cordelia's modified taijutsu forms, but she doesn't have to be. The ability to dodge, and the instincts to do so in a reasonable manner, is useful against anything, Cordelia figures, and a decent punch is all it would really take to stun most wizards as a last resort. If nothing else, Hermione gains solid appreciation for how useful it is to keep your hair out of your face.

When Hermione's letter arrives, they dive into the magical world together. Cordelia has always encouraged her baby sister's cleverness, curiosity, and logical skills, even when other kids looked down on such things. Because of this, it does not seem unusual for Cordelia to be as interested as Hermione is in magic.

They divide and conquer. Hermione starts with her school work and the history of the magical world; Cordelia uses her own money to buy extra textbooks on history, policy, genealogy, culture… anything she can get her hands on that might better prepare Hermione for Hogwarts, and the threats that lurk there. She finds a book on Runes, remembers her work in sealing and natural energy, and thinks there might be magic here for her after all.

By the time September 1st rolls around, Cordelia has a magical wireless radio, a subscription to the Daily Prophet, and a notebook in encrypted Japanese under her bed. She sends her baby sister into one of the most dangerous places in the world with a kiss, a reminder to keep up with her katas, and a promise to write.

Unlike her parents, Cordelia is not worried by the hints of loneliness written between the lines in Hermione's first few letters. Cordelia's confident she hasn't change enough to separate the Golden Trio, and she's proven right when Hermione's letters begin to worry constantly over Ron and Harry's grades after Halloween.

Hermione returns home the top witch in her year. Cordelia says she knew she would be, and means it more than Hermione "divination isn't real" Granger could ever guess.

When the high from finishing finals fades, Hermione begins to grow more agitated as the days pass. Harry isn't answering hers or Ron's letters. Their parents dismiss Hermione's concerns, but Cordelia is the Supportive Big Sister. No one questions that she takes Hermione seriously.

"Do you know his address?" Hermione does, and Surrey isn't far by Cordelia's standards. "Get in the car. I'll drive you over."

They pull up to a cookie-cutter suburban house with bars on one of the windows. Cordelia's eyes narrow. No one answers the door at first.

"Maybe we should go. We don't want to intrude…" Hermione bites her lip. Even nearly a year of close friendship hasn't yet eased her insecurities from growing up an outcast. She's a Gryffindor, though, so when Cordelia sets her shoulders and looks at the bars on the window, she doesn't protest again. Hermione stand bravely at her side as she keeps banging on the door.

"You car is here and the TV is on! Your neighbors are going to talk if you leave me to keep standing here like this!"

A portly man with a mustache that wants so hard to be as stately as Onoki's throws open the door a few moments later. "We don't buy from bloody solicitors, so remove yourself from our property at once!"

Cordelia puts on her biggest smile and says, "Hi! Mr. Dursley, right? We're not solicitors, just hoping to see Hermione's friend."

He stares at her with suspicion. "You lot know my Dudders?"

"Hm? Oh no. Hermione here is good friends with your other child. The one that has, uncharacteristically, not responded to any of the phone calls or letters we've sent his way."

" _That boy-_ "

"Is the one whose window has bars on it? That's a fire safety hazard. All bedrooms are required by law to have two points of egress. The city could fine you quite a lot if someone reported that. Could we please come in?"

Vernon's not quite as dumb as he looks, so he grits his teeth and lets them in. Inside, a wiry woman with an absurdly long neck that was, thankfully, too boney to be reminiscent of Orochimaru's joins them.

"You must be Mrs. Dursley! So nice to meet you! Hermione says Harry is very brave at removing spiders from their common room, and that it's all thanks to you!" The woman sniffs at her implication, but still primly sits on the couch with her husband. Cordelia sits back on the couch, relaxed, even as Hermione sits nervously on the edge of her seat.

"Now, what's this all about?" Vernon bites out, face getting redder by the minute.

"I'm very sorry," Cordelia says politely, as if she is oblivious to the tension in the room. "I thought I said. We're here to see Harry. He hasn't been communicating with us lately, and we were concerned he was being mistreated or something. Of course, I see by your fine home and stature that you have far too much to lose to risk CPS investigating if you were neglecting a child or something. These are fine pictures of your son. Dudley, I assume? So many pictures of him, or the three of you…"

Petunia's face is white as a sheet, a stark contrast to Vernon's darkening purple. Cordelia keeps laying it on thick. "But I digress. We've driven all the way from London, so of course we'll wait here if he's not in. I hope you'll let us stay inside? Your neighbors might think it odd if you left us to sit on your porch... You know, I've been thinking. If Harry wants, he could just stay with us the rest of the summer. That will save you lot the trips in to London for his school supplies to meet the train, and that will save me from having to voice my concerns about Harry's accommodations."

"Are you threatening us?" Petunia gasps out in disbelief. Cordelia drops the polite smile, and stares them both down. If these _muggles_ could sense killing intent, they would certainly be quivering by now.

"Yes. I thought that was obvious." Vernon is shaking with rage now. Hermione grips her hand tightly, and Cordelia gives it a reassuring squeeze. She is the Shikabane-hime, and a couple of overworked civilians aren't going to back down from protecting her sister's abused friend.

Luckily (for him) the next words out of Vernon's mouth are not a curse at her, but a holler as he moves towards the stairs. "Boy! Pack your things!"

Cordelia and Hermione are made to wait downstairs, but eventually a dark-haired boy in glasses clumps down the stairs with a large trunk and a dirty owl cage. He's underweight, and Cordelia thinks she sees a bruise on arm. She works not to bare her teeth. Vernon doesn't try to help him maneuver his things, but Cordelia does. She hands Hedwig's cage to Hermione, grabs the other end of the trunk and asks, "Is this all your stuff, Harry? There isn't anything else you need?" He shakes his head, eyes downcast.

"Thank you so much for letting us have him over!" She calls back to the Dursleys as they make their way out the door and settle Harry's things in the car. "We'll take good care of him."

They're off, and Cordelia pointedly drives around the corner and out of sight before she finds somewhere to park, gets out of the car, and kicks at the curb, screaming and swearing all the while. Eventually, she turns to see a white-faced Harry looking at her with what could only be fear.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Harry. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at those… _awful_ people." Tension eases from his expressive green eyes, just a little. Cordelia smiles at him. "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Cordelia Granger, Hermione's big sister."

"Harry Potter. Er, Hermione's school friend." Cordelia laughs, Hermione beams, and Harry seems just a little more at ease. "Thank you for coming to get me."

"Don't thank me yet. Hermione's _dying_ to have someone go over her revisions with her."

Harry groans, and Hermione splutters out something about homework being important. Cordelia continues, "Though, I'm sure she'll also be glad to have a partner more her size for morning training."

"Wait, what?" Green eyes blink, and Cordelia smiles wide.

The summer gets much better after that. Their parents welcome Harry into their home. He's one of Hermione's first friends, after all, and both of their daughters assure them he needs to stay with them. Harry eventually tells them (Hermione's a terror when she wants information form someone, and Cordelia wasn't subtle about wondering what the catalyst to everything was in front of her) about Vernon's business dinner, Dobby, and the warning from the ministry.

"Oh, Harry, that's so unfair! It wasn't you who cast the spell" Hermione is outraged on his behalf. "There must be some way to clear things up with the ministry!"

"What can I do? It's not like I'm going to write to Dumbledore and tell him to get me cleared of these charges."

"While I think writing to Dumbledore to tell him that someone warned you about dark wizards and got you accused of a serious crime is _exactly_ what you should do," Cordelia says, "you could probably write to your friend Ron's dad, if you would be more comfortable with that. He works for the ministry, doesn't he?"

It turns out that Harry does, in fact, have a legal case to make, and that there are processes in place to deal with such a thing. Cordelia drives Harry to meet Mr. Weasley in downtown London a week later. It would be too much of a pain to get her permissions to access the Ministry, so she waits above ground in a bookstore. Eventually, they return and triumphantly claim that all charges were removed from Harry's record.

When they go to Diagon Alley a few days later for school supplies, Cordelia pulls on a big hat and follows the Malfoys from Flourish and Blotts (after subtly removing the Diary from Ginny's cauldron – she was a ninja, once. It's not that hard). Outside, Lucius calls for Dobby to take the heavy packages from him, and Cordelia makes her move.

"Mr. Malfoy! I think you forgot this!" She runs up do him, eyes downcast as if deferent, and thrusts a ratty muggle's childrens book ( _not_ the diary; she doesn't dare risk him keeping it). He sneers down at her and passes it immediately to Dobby, as she expected he would.

"This isn't mine, you stupid girl!" He hisses, wiping his hand on the front of his robe like merely touching a muggle item taints it.

"Ah. My mistake then," she replies cheerfully, still looking down. "Dobby, I checked and it's technically not against the law for you to work for a muggle family. I'm willing to pay. Look me up if you get the chance."

Malfoy scoffs, and she scurries away before Malfoy can figure out who she is. He hopes Dobby will find the sock, like he did in the books, but she daren't stay any longer.

That night, Dobby appears in her room, nearly crying with thanks. She shakes it off, accidently sets him off crying again by mentioning Harry's concern for him and her possession of the diary, and strikes a deal with him. He becomes her research assistant and house cleaner 5 days a week, in exchange for 20 pounds and a new piece of clothing every month. Cordelia also throws in subscription to fashion and knitting magazines, just for fun. A short (and awkward) correspondence with the Ministry of Magic registers Dobby as "hers" and gets the house cleared for use of Elf magic.

With Dobby to help her, she manages to make a mechanism for absorbing magic to power her seals, gains access to all of the Malfoy's darkest secrets, and gets her chores done in record time. She makes use of Dobby's ability to apparate inside the Hogwarts wards to deliver the diary to Dumbledore. The anonymous note attached to it reads, _This dark artifact was snuck into one of your students belongings, and could have caused a great deal of damage to your school. Please be on the look out. If you need a way to destroy it, I have it on good authority that a large Basilisk resides in the Chamber of Secrets, which can be accessed by speaking parseltongue to a sink in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom._

Hermione comes home from an absolutely average year of school, and they make a habit of having Harry and Ron over as often as possible. It's a relief, for Harry, and helps their parents feel more included in Hermione's world. They even plan a weeklong sleepover when Harry's Aunt Marge comes to stay.

One night of that sleepover, Cordelia convinces Harry and Hermione to "live on the wild side," so they walk to a late-night convenience store for ice cream treats. On their way back, Harry is startled by a big black dog peaking out of someone's pushes. Cordelia reassures him its okay, and coaxes the "precious puppy" out with the jerky she had also bought, just in case.

"Who's a good boy?" she coos in a very un-Cordelia like fashion. "Who's a sweet Snuffles?" The big dog licks her face, and Harry and Hermione eventually relax and pet him too.

"He's a little scrawny," Hermione mentions with a frown.

"He doesn't seem to have an owner, or at least not a good one," Harry concurs.

"Agreed. I guess you'll just have to come home with us and get some dinner, won't you, Snuffles-sweetheart?" The dog barks and wags its tail in agreement, and their group of three heads back to the house a group of four.

"Are we really going to call him Snuffles?" Hermione asks on the way.

"What would you rather call him? Sirius, like the dog star? Honestly, your sense of good names is getting wonky from being around all those wizards." Snuffles – Sirius – had stiffened at his name, but immediately shifted from alert to offended as Cordelia called his name "wonky." He beats her leg with his tail, and moves over to stand by Harry, who absently scratches him behind the ears as they walk.

"I like the name Snuffles," Harry agrees, and the dog answers to that name from that point on. The night they bring Sirius home is the first of Dobby's two nights off for the week. Cordelia doesn't think anything of it, and so is quite surprised when the elf apparates back in on the third day "Snuffles" stays with them. This is almost their undoing.

"Get back, Miss Delia!" Dobby cries out, throwing Snuffles across the room with his magic, and positioning himself between the dog and three startled teens. "That is no ordinary dog!" Another snap of his fingers forcibly reverts Snuffles back into Sirius.

"Wait, I can explain!" Sirius holds up gnarled hands in surrender.

"I is not letting you hurt-" Cordelia sets a hand on Dobby's tense shoulders.

"Let's hear him out, okay, Dobby? He's got no wand, and you've got him held in your magic, right?"

Sirius makes the most of the opportunity. Words spill out of his mouth, about Harry's father, about the Marauders, about Wormtail and Fidelious Charms and false imprisonments. Harry's in shock and Hermione's frozen, looking horrified. Cordelia, as per usual, takes charge.

"Dobby, you recognized Sirius in his dog form. Would you be able to recognize if Scabbers is an imposter too?"

"Yes, Miss Delia."

"Confronting Pettigrew could be dangerous. Are you willing to go check him out with us anyways?"

"I is not minding at all! Dobby would be glad to help the great Harry Potter's godfather get freed, like Miss Delia freed Dobby!"

"Alright then, will you please take Me, Hermione and Harry over to Ron's house?" She knows that people will probably condemn her decision to leave a convicted mass-murder free, with unsupervised access to her house when they hear about it later, but, like with Gaara, she can't bring herself to distrust this poor, maligned man. The four of them set out for the Burrow.

Mrs. Weasley answers the door, looking confused and a little flustered. "Goodness, Ron didn't mention you all were visiting today! That boy… Oh, the house is quite a mess…"

"Don't blame Ron, Mrs. Weasley. We're actually showing up uninvited. I'm sorry to intrude, but it's important. Could we all please see Ron?"

Mrs. Weasley stops her fussing, looking concerned at Cordelia's deadly serious tone. "Of course, dears. Right this way. Ron's in the backyard, hopefully de-gnoming the garden. Is everything alright?"

"We'll know in a minute, Mrs. Weasley. Do you know if Scabbers is with him?"

"Probably. The poor dear has been a little under the weather as of late. Why do you want to know?"

"You'll see in just a second," Cordelia assures the Weasley matriarch. She mutters quietly to Harry and Hermione, "Wands out, just in case." Ron is surprised to see them, and even more surprised to have a rat magically ripped from his chest pocket, launched across the yard away from him, and turned into a human, all with no warning.

"No! I can explain!" Is all Pettigrew manages a vicious stunner from Mrs. Weasley knocks him out.

"What _exactly_ is going on here?" Mrs. Weasley rounds on them. They quickly gulp out the story, secure Pettigrew, and send word to Sirius that they caught him. Mrs. Weasley firecalls the Auror's office and Kingsley Shacklebolt arrives to take Pettigrew into Ministry custody. Mr. Weasley arrives home that night to find office rumors confirmed by the presence of a shaggy-haired man at the Weasley's overcrowded kitchen table.

The number of witnesses when Shacklebolt brings Pettigrew in is too great for the incident to be covered up. The press has a field day, Sirius finally gets his trial, and a number of corrupted old Wizengamot members get forced into retirement. Cornelius Fudge himself offers, for all that they're worth, his personal apologies to Sirius for the "grave miscarriage of justice executed by the previous administration."

Sirius celebrates his new freedom by buying Harry and Ron new Firebolts for the troubles he caused them, Hermione a new pet in the form of a cat named Crookshanks, and the Weasleys a small owl named Pigwidgeon for the loss of Ron's familiar. Sirius gives Cordelia full access to the Black family library, as long as he or Dobby are there to make sure there are not magical traps on them. She stops by nearly every day after school.

Dobby and Kreacher get into exactly one fight over her honor before Cordelia sits down with him and Sirius and they have a nice long chat about racism and abuse. Things don't get better immediately, but as tensions ease between Kreacher and Sirius, the elf likewise begins to treat her and Dobby more like actual people. Soon enough, all four of them are working under the assumption that Voldemort is coming back, and how to stop him.

("Kreacher will help the blood traitors stop the Dark Lord. Master Regulus wanted him gone." Sirius tears up at the revelation of his brother's heroic change of heart.)

Sirius signs Harry's Hogsmeade permission slip before they all head off to Hogwarts again, and escorts her to see all of Harry's Quidditch matches during the year. Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup for the second year in a row, undefeated even by Hufflepuff.

The next summer, Mr. Weasley and Sirius get box seats for the Quidditch World Cup for the lot of them. Malfoy sneers at them when she calls Dobby to comfort his poor friend Winky, but he can't do much more in front of the minister. Cordelia sits next to the seat Winky is saving so Dobby can sit on her lap and talk to Winky. Crouch Junior has no chance to nick a wand.

Later, as they run away from the Death Eater mob (there's nothing Cordelia can do for those poor muggles. She's pretty sure they'll be okay though), Hermione spots Winky again, trying to flee. Cordelia goes to help, and 'accidentally' trips over Crouch Junior, pulling off his invisibility cloak. Hermione stuns the man menacing over her sister, and the lot of them continue into the relative safety of the forest. Winky is distraught but can't stop them with Dobby's magic backing them up.

At the all clear, they trudge back to their tent, and hand Crouch Jr. over to the authorities. Without the Dark Mark, Ministry officials were able to apprehend far more Death Eaters than in canon, though the casualty list is on their side is longer too.

Both Crouches get arrested.

Kreacher and Dobby do the best they can to comfort Winky, and she numbly takes a position at Hogwarts, where the other two visit her from time to time. When Hermione still decides to start S.P.E.W., Cordelia sends her texts on magical creature law and recountings of famous muggle civil rights movements. She advises Hermione to talk to Dobby and Kreature about how Elf magic works and what House Elves really want. Apparently her proposals are so thorough and well-researched, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures contacts her about an internship after her O.W.L.s. Hermione is excited enough by this positive response that she starts drafting suggestions for new Werewolf registration, just in case.

Harry's name doesn't get put into the Goblet of Fire, though Cordelia and Sirius come to watch all the tasks anyways. Cordelia makes the "I'm watching you" sign to Victor Krum when he invites Hermione over for the summer, and later teases her little sister for being the thing the international quidditch star would miss most.

Cedric wins the cup, and no one dies during the Tournament. Pettigrew escapes from the Ministry, though, and Cordelia fears the next wizarding war has begun, with almost no one the wiser.

She's not entirely right, thankfully. She and Dobby head over to Grimmauld place one day to research wards, and Cordelia walks right in on an Order meeting.

"What in Merlin's name is a muggle doing in your house, Black?" Mad Eye's clearly not thrilled to see her.

"Swapping out books for my research," Cordelia answers, hefting a large tomb on runic applications out of her bag. "What's all this now?"

They grudgingly explain how a 'bad wizard' (Cordelia rolls her eyes. "Is it Voldemort?") has come back to life ("Was he really dead, though? I mean, he keeps harassing Harry and his friends so…") and how they're working behind the scenes to counter his subtler political and military movements. ("You lot are secret superheroes. Got it.") They clearly expect her to be more perturbed by their gentle, censored explanation of the state of things. Instead, she asks, "Is there room for one more?"

No one can really come up with a reason that she shouldn't be allowed to join that's not racist or countered by a punch to the face, so Cordelia becomes the first completely muggle member of the Order of the Phoenix.

Cordelia ingratiates herself to the Order as an invaluable font of information. She's spent years researching and theorizing potential applications of magic and runes, with only Dobby and occasionally Sirius to act as her magical guinea pigs. Now, she has specific goals to work towards, and any help she needs to test out the practical applications of her theories. She finds herself a surprising following in the likes of Fred and George. Their ideas add a creative flair to her otherwise methodological work. She comments loudly that if their joke products are as brilliant at their defense products, they surely have a bright future ahead of them. Mrs. Weasley looks a little more thoughtful after that.

Speaking of the Weasley matriarch, Cordelia, Sirius, Dobby and Kreacher had long since made Grimmauld place habitable again, so Molly Weasley's a little adrift without matronly duties to attend to. Cordelia takes pity on one of the only other non-combat focused members of the Order, and ends up roping her in to their work as well. Mrs. Weasley ("Call me Molly, dear, if we'll be working together so much") has a knack for efficiency Cordelia can appreciate as well as a skill for potion brewing that opens up whole new worlds for Cordelia to explore. Molly is a little hesitant at first, until one of her concoctions creates a steam that turns everybody's hair Weasley Red. She's embarrassed, but the twins think it's brilliant. Fred and George dramatically worship the "newly discovered, obvious progenitor of our amazing pranking genes" and Molly gains a little confidence from the twins' strange new displays of respect.

As time goes on, she butts heads with the Order a few times.

"It's better if he doesn't know," they say.

"I beg to differ." There's not much they can do to stop her, though, so Cordelia fills Harry in the next time she and Hermione have him over. With this information, Harry is able to wait patiently until he gets removed to Order headquarters ("What's with this whole James Bond flight of fancy thing? Dobby or Kreacher could have just apparated him straight here, you know."). Harry's relieved of a couple weeks worrying about the Pettigrew situation and is in much better temper, if nothing else. It's not the last time Cordelia makes sure he knows what she thinks he needs to, and Mrs. Weasley has a harder time standing against her and her history of (perceived) responsibility than she did against Sirius' Gryffindor recklessness.

Because Voldemort didn't use Harry's blood for his resurrection, Harry doesn't publicly announce Voldemort's return. Dumbledore still points to the signs that Voldemort's forces, at least, are stirring, which is a little more subtle and less a threat to the ministry. Thus, there is no dementor attack in Privet Drive, and no Umbridge to terrorize Hogwarts. Kingsley Shacklebolt takes a sabbatical from the auror department to take the position instead.

The war winds up, and Cordelia begins to neglect her responsibilities on the muggle side of things. School and work are just so unimportant, when she knows her sister and her friends are fighting for their lives.

Hermione comes home the summer after her 6th year, and tries to protect her family. Cordelia graciously allows her to attempt the mind wipe, and pretends it works, for Hermione's peace of mind. It doesn't, though, not even a little. Death is not enough to erase her memories; Hermione's charm never has a chance. It does hurt, though, that she's considered weak enough that she's not at least allowed to keep doing her work with the Order. Instead of protesting, though, she waits for Hermione to leave, bundles her parents safely off to Australia, and gets to work. She's learned a lot, working for the Order, and is ready to try a few things on a bigger scale. Dobby sticks around, even though it's dangerous and she can't consistently pay him any more.

"Dobby is a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" The Elf retorts indignantly, when she suggests he leave for his own safety. "Dobby will help the great wizards take down the bad wizards this time. Dobby will not let Kreacher be the only Elf to fight!"

At least Sirius doesn't forget her, when the final battle comes. She's sure he meant for her to stay out of it, and only wanted her to be prepared to get out, just in case things went pear-shaped. He definitely didn't mean for her to show up at the castle with scrolls upon scrolls of rune work, ready to assist with the frontline defenses. They're glad she did, when everything's all over.

A large chunk of Voldemort's army tries to march in on the bridge into Hogwarts.

Cordelia smiles, checks her calculations, and waits. Her rune work activates just as the first Death Eaters are to reach the castle. The runes are powered by the magic in the air, so there's no surge of magic to warn the invaders. There's no time to for them to throw up a shield or protect themselves at all as the entire bridge goes up with explosive force. Cordelia allows her self a smirk and the time it takes to mutter "Touch Blast," for old times sake.

A large chunk of Voldemort's army dies on the bridge into Hogwarts.

Cordelia isn't much more direct use in the battle after that. Her work was mostly in the preparations; traps, tactics, strategy; things like that. Now, without magic, she's a liability in a fight. She retreats to the hospital wing, where she's added wards to make sure medical aid can be applied safely. Bandages, potions and salves don't require magic to use, and she still remembers studying healing, all those years ago. She can still help in some way.

Afterwards, she brings hot chocolate to the Trio as they sit in Dumbledore's office, after everything is over. Her baby siblings – because really, Ron and Harry are as much hers as Hermione is, by now – are shell-shocked still. She passes around the warm mugs, offering comforting hugs and touches where she can. They sit in silence for a while, Cordelia and the three people she's been looking after for so long. It's almost a surprise to realize that they've really grown up. Cordelia smiles at the thought. Her kids have grown up, and they've all survived. She takes a moment to revel in that before finally asking:

"So… What the hell are we doing next?"

XxXxX

Bonus:

"Harry, Albus Severus is a terrible name. Go get some dogs and name _them_ after those men, if you must. Just… pick a different name for your poor son. Like… Rubeus Fabian or something. Ginny, back me up on this!"

XxXxX

**Hermione is named for one of Shakespeare's leading ladies in _The_ _Winter's Tale._ Cordelia is the lead (sort of) in _King Lear._ Cordelia can mean "heart" and is associated in numerology with the numbers 3 and 4 (which make 7, of course).


	6. Side Story: Honey Badger Don't Care

**_Houses_** **Side Story: Honey Badger don't care. Honey Badger don't take no shit.**

 **AN:** People be talkin' smack about my house on the forum. Well, here's what I've got to say about that. (AKA, I had two angry Hufflepuff ideas I smashed together, with limited success).

 **XxXxX**

Shelissa Morris is having a rotten first day at Hogwarts. As a muggleborn, she hadn't known anything about houses or sorting (or stereotypes) coming in. She just heard a magic hat sing about a house of loyalty and acceptance and thought, _sign me up!_

She had been so proud to be put into Hufflepuff when her house mates cheered for her at the feast. She had been even more so when she arrived in the common room to a stirring, if unexpected welcoming speech.

 _The Hufflepuff first years are led into the common room by the prefects, only for their tour to be interrupted by a non-prefect fifth year girl._

 _"_ _I'm trying to get everyone together for a quick meeting. Can you hold off on tours for a moment?" The prefects seem to respect this girl, as they're perfectly willing to settle the first years on the couch and wait for some other older students to shake the early returnees out of the bedrooms and back to the common rooms. All the while, the dark-haired girl stands in front of the fireplace, commanding the attention and respect of the room even with her back to them._

 _"_ _You know, Longbottom, for someone that hates public speaking, you sure do call for house meetings a lot," a middling-aged boy heckles from the far side of the room when they're all assembled._

 _The girl – Longbottom – answers frostily, though the malice doesn't seem_ _to be directed at the boy. "The fact that I hate it means you should know that this isn't a joke, Saladrigas."_

 _"_ _What? Are we trying to sack someone already?" A dark-haired girl behind the couch Shelissa's sitting on asks. "We haven't even had classes yet!"_

 _Longbottom nods in acquiesce to the question. "I know we haven't. That's why I'm not trying to use Unanimous Voice. Even if we had legitimate charges, Fudge would drown us in counter-proposals or worse if we tried to unseat his… toady."_

 _A few people snicker at the double meaning of her reference to Umbridge, but most people are getting caught up in Darby's serious attitude._

 _"_ _No, I'm not here tonight asking for a vote of No Confidence. I'm here for us to decide what to do now that Voldemort's back." Gasps and flinches occur around the room. Shelissa's not entirely sure what's going on but whoever "Voldemort" is, his name got all of the older students – and the non-muggleborn first years – riled up._

 _"_ _You really think he's back, then?" A few people are sneering at Darby; others are glaring at the sneering people. It's clear to Shelissa that this is a controversial topic._

 _"_ _Of course he's back! Have you forgotten about Cedric?!"_

 _Just like that, tension bleeds out of the room, replaces with a chagrined sort of silence. Longbottom pauses to let that shame soak in before she presses forward._

 _"_ _Anyone in the know –and you all know my family's in the know – thought he would be back one day. Now two of the heroes of our generation are saying that 'one day' is_ now _. Those heroes have the_ corpse _of Hogwart's best, of_ Hufflepuff's _best as evidence of their word. And you're, what? Believing the_ Prophet _? The_ Ministry? _When they feed us tripe about how Cedric goddamn Diggory, hero of Hufflepuff, suffered an unfortunate accident in the tournament, and his dead body just_ happened _to get pulled by the Cup's portkey charm when Potter won the tournament and made up some lies? Don't act like the Duffers people claim us to be. Don't throw him away like everyone else seems to have."_

 _If people were chagrined before, they look downright guilty now. Shelissa's feeling guilty, and she doesn't even know what's going on. She can't imagine how it must feel for those doubters who are being accused of disloyalty in a house that values loyalty above all else. Luckily, Longbottom doesn't let the feeling stew for too long. Now that everyone's on board, she seems ready to make her real proposition._

 _"_ _Voldermort has hurt one of our own. Now, I'm not foolish enough to think we can do much against him directly. Cedric wouldn't want us to risk ourselves like that anyways. What we can do, though, is make things as difficult for him as possible. Right now, that means two things: working on Defense, and spreading information. For the first, I'm willing to offer tutoring to anyone that wants help in the subject. I hope-" and boy did that sound a lot like '_ expect' _when she said it like that "-the other older students will be willing to do the same." Nods of assent greet this first declaration. No strong-arming needed there._

 _"_ _For the second… it won't be easy. Like I said, the Ministry and the Prophet are working reeeeeeeal hard to make Voldemort's comeback as quiet and easy as possible. We can't let that stand. We need to convince people that he's back, and get them to start making preparations. If we have to beat people over the head with reminders about Cedric, so be it. Through Neville, I have a direct line to Potter and the things he's saying or trying to get done. I'll keep you guys informed, and we can disseminate the important things to everyone else. This is, unfortunately, going to be easier said than done._

 _"_ _I don't know what Umbridge has up her sleeve yet, but her little speech gave me the jitters. She's here as an arm of the Ministry propaganda machine, and she's not going to like what we're saying. This may get us in trouble. This may lose us points. We need to decide, right now, what things like the House Cup are worth to us, when we weigh them against Cedric. Does anyone have a problem with that?"_

 _She pauses for a long time, looking over the gathered students. As far as Shelissa can tell, everyone holds her gaze when she turns to them; no one here is feeling pressured to agree. Their assent burns too strongly in their eyes for it to be anything other than righteous determination. Eventually, Longbottom finishes her survey of student opinions. She closes her eyes and lets out a deep sigh. After a moment, her eyes pop open, shining with resolution, and she continues._

 _"_ _So be it. I apologize to the first years – and the sevenths – who probably don't want to start or finish their careers at Hogwarts in a purposeful last place, but the House Cup can not be our priority this year when there's an external threat like this approaching. Neither can the quidditch cup – sorry, Higgens." She turns to apologize to a burly older boy with a quidditch captain's badge. He inclines his head to her in gracious acceptance of this turn of fate. Around the room, six other heads bob in agreement with their captain. The quidditch team is fully onboard with the proposal._

 _Longbottom dips her head in recognition of their sacrifice. "Okay then. It's decided. We stand together in this. For Cedric, for Hufflepuff, and for Hogwarts."_

 _Shelissa wants to clap, or cheer, or even salute. She manages to rein it in, though she sees the same fire burning in her house mates eyes. It's only the first day, but she's already part of something big. Something important._

 _For Hufflepuff. For Hogwarts._

That pride and determination had settled in her heart as she drifted off to sleep that night, and flared the next morning when the prefects gathered the first years to go up to breakfast together. She was ready for the day. Ready to get out there and show the Ministry what Hufflepuff could do.

Eye rolls and snide comments by other students soon shook her conviction. By lunch, she just wanted to show the other houses what Hufflepuff could do. By dinner, she just wanted to show herself what they could do.

It was with a heavy heart that Shelissa finally crawls back into the common room that night. She slumps down in a corner chair, watching her house mates. They don't _look_ like the other houses' leftovers. But then, maybe she's too much of a Duffer to realize it.

She doesn't even realize that she's started to cry until someone slumps down in front of her with a tissue.

"Hey, it's okay. Everything's going to be okay." It's the girl from last night – Longbottom? "Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want me to get you something? Water? Chocolate? The hearts of you enemies in a jewelry box?" Shelissa chokes at that last one. Longbottom shakes her head in exasperation and mock despair, and Shelissa's choking turns into little snickers.

"Why does everyone look at me when I say that? It's not _that_ morbid! It's a reference to an muggle fairytail!"

"I know the one."

"Ah, muggleborn then?" Shelissa nods.

"People giving you crap for that?" Longbottom prods, and Shelissa shakes her head.

"Okay. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but I happen to have nothing better to do than sit here, if you need an ear. I'm Darby, by the way. Darby Longbottom."

"Shelissa Morris." They shake hands. Shelissa appreciates the older girl's tact, as she truly doesn't try to pry again. The two sit quietly for a few minutes, just watching the bustle of the common room. Eventually, Shelissa realizes Longbottom really means it when she says she has nothing better to do, and she slowly works up the courage to confess her troubles to the older girl.

"What!" Longbottom exclaims in outrage as she describes her day, and her doubts. Shelissa shrinks back. Great. It's only day one and she's already angered one of the leaders of the house. Darby seems to notice her new hesitation, though, and quickly brushes her fears away. "Sorry. I'm not mad at you. I just can't _believe_ people are still talking like that, after everything that's gone down in the last two years."

Shelissa waits for Darby to expand on that comment. Instead, the older girls says, "You know, my twin brother is loyal and hardworking as much as he is brave, but the Hat put him in Gryffindor. And people say I'm brave – or at least reckless – enough to be in Gryffindor, but I'm here instead. Why do you think we're not in the same house?"

If it were pretty much anyone else, Shelissa was so miserable that the biting words _Because you're a Duffer,_ might have slipped out. But, even having only really met her a few minutes ago, Shelissa already knew that those words would be a lie. She doesn't know why, but something inside of her is _sure_ that the girl in front of her is smart and brave and capable. And a Hufflepuff. Two things are incongruous according to the nasty sneers Shelissa's first day had been filled with.

"… I don't know," she finally admits

Darby doesn't seem to be perturbed by her ignorance. She happily explains, "Because the Hat takes your _values_ into account as much as your wants or attributes. Me? I'm all about teamwork and camaraderie. I value loyalty above pretty much everything else, and I'm willing to work hard to… help… my loved ones." Her eye twitches a little bit at that last statement. Shelissa wonders why, but doesn't interrupt.

"I knew that a house built on loyalty, hard work, and acceptance had the kind of people I wanted to spend seven years of my life with, and here I am. My brother wanted dearly to be in Hufflepuff too. Normally, those are quick sorts. The hat puts you where you want if you have enough of those traits to justify it. The problem is, my brother wanted to be here for the wrong reasons. He thought _he_ was a Duffer, and didn't believe the Hat when it said he was too brave not to be in Gryffindor. Apparently, they argued about it for almost five minutes. Idiotic hypocrite. What coward argues with an ancient, omnipotent magic being? Honestly." Shelissa chuckles a little at Darby's exasperation, and the older girl beams.

"See! You'll like being in a house like this, too. We're not perfect, but we look out for each other, y'know? And none of us are hear because we didn't think we'd make the cut for another house."

"Yeah, I can tell. Thanks."

"It's no problem. Actually, have I told you about the time the Hufflepuff house got the Slytherin head of house sacked? We started to go there, but I got sidetracked by the Hat. It's really a great story, and should be pretty useful for shutting up the ignoramuses that still ignore Hufflepuff's capability…"

Shelissa listens with rapt attention to the story of the greatest Hogwarts coup in about a century – it originated from _her_ house, and not even two years ago! Most of those involved were still here! By the time that story's done, a small crowd has gathered in their corner of the common room. The younger students are entranced by descriptions of their housemates and their housemates' valor. The older students call out commentary, and start to offer their own stories.

The next day, Shelissa is buoyed by house pride again, and brushes off all but the worst of the comments made by _obviously_ ignorant students. The few she can't shake either get a tongue lashing about Hufflepuff House's great deeds, or get carefully marked in Shelissa mind. The older kids were quite emphatic that her housemates would help her _deal_ with people who bullied any member of Hufflepuff house. They promised they'd even involve "The Weasley Twins," if need be. Shelissa doesn't know what that means, but a few people in the background crossed their hearts at the mention of their names. Shelissa gets a little warm inside thinking that her housemates would deal with _demons_ for her.


	7. Side Story: Serpentine Siblings

Houses Side Stories: Serpentine Siblings

On the forums, Relusion made an excellent point. I have a very firm idea of the Iris/Harry relationship in my head, but I really do need to show, not tell. Here. Have some Potter sibling interaction. Don't you love it when little drabbles get longer than the ficlets they're companions to?

XxXxX

0\. The Dursleys are not kind to Iris and Harry, and she doesn't know what to do about it. She's thought and thought and there is so little she can do that will make things better for them in the long run. It makes her furious, how helpless she is. She is The Shikabane-Hime. Konoha Kunoichi, member of Team Seven, The Greatest Seal Master of a Generation. Two ugly civilians should not be enough to best her, but they are. No wonder Naruto was always shouting of his greatness and that people should treat him better. Most of the time, she just wants to _scream._

Thank goodness Harry is a such a wonderful brother. Their bedroom is a _closet,_ and there are _spiders,_ and she tries to think of Chiyako's smiling face but all that comes to mind is the spider-themed member Sound Four and she _can't stand it_. Harry, brave, kind brother that he his, scoops up every spider they find in his little bare hands and sets them outside. She tries to return the favor by taking as many of Dudley's punches as she can. He doesn't like hitting girls as much anyways, so it's better for them both that way.

1\. They don't get to talk after dinner; the Gryffindor and Slytherin Prefects whisk their respective first years away in opposite directions promptly at the end of the feast. Iris goes down early for breakfast the next morning, and luckily Harry comes in only a few minutes after her. Harry spots her right away, and she gets up to meet him at the side of the hall, by the Hufflepuff table.

He looks awful.

She huddles close to ask him, "What's the matter? Are you okay? Have trouble sleeping?"

He shakes his head and scuffs his shoe. "Kind of but…"

"What?" Iris prompts, when it looks like he's not going to continue.

"I… how's Slytherin?" Oh. _Oh_. That's what this is about. She likes Ron, really. She knows he's going to be a good friend for Harry, but she can't wait for when he'll learn to keep his big mouth _shut._

Iris purses her lips at him. "Afraid I'm going to go dark?"

"Of course not! You're not… you wouldn't!" His vehemence is comforting. She lets that happiness settle into a smile, and pats him on the shoulder.

"Good. Thanks for having faith in me, Harry."

"Of course. I just… people are muttering."

"That the Boy Who Lived has a bad seed in his family?"

"It's not like they're outright saying you'll go dark or anything, but… people are whispering. And Ron keeps apologizing for you being in Slytherin. Like you're tainted or something."

"I better talk to him or something, then. I'd hate for you to lose it and punch him or something. You guys have such a promising friendship."

"You're not mad at him?"

She ticks off her fingers. "He's an eleven year old raised his whole life to associate Slytherin with evil. That view has been reinforced by the only three Slytherin's he ever met. He also doesn't know me. Of course he doesn't get why we'd still get on. Don't worry, we'll win him over, right? The rest of your house too. Then things will get better."

"I guess. I'm just… I'm also going to miss you."

That makes her laugh. "Miss me? That'll change soon. You're going to be seeing plenty of me during classes – seriously, who thought sticking Gryffindor and Slytherin together for almost everything was a good idea – and when I sit on you to get you to do your revisions on time. You'll be hiding from me in the Gryffindor common room in no time."

Harry rolls his eyes. "I don't think so. I just have to point you at the Library and I'll have you off my back for weeks. If anything, I'll be the one dragging you out to make sure you eat."

"Like I would leave it to _you_ to be the responsible one. Things would go up in flames in a week."

"Yeah, because _you_ set them."

"Why does everyone always think I'm a pyro?" Iris exclaims, offended. Harry's smiling though, and the brief tension between them is gone. They exchange a few more pieces of banter, trade schedules, and make a plan to meet up for lunch.

As she walks back to her own table, she notices a few Gryffindors staring at her. Some are still clearly suspicious, but a few are giving her appraising looks. Those ones, at least, are already willing to give her a chance. Well, it's a start.

2\. " I can't believe you got Lockhart sacked."

"He was incompetent, annoying, and he vanished all the bones in you arm."

"I guess… but it's still pretty extreme."

Iris looks up from revising Harry's potions essay to look him in the eye. "He hurt you." I didn't like that."

"Oh." He makes a funny sort of half-smile at the realization and squeezes her shoulder. "Thanks. I- I'd do the same for you."

"Nah. You're too Gryffindor for that," she dismisses without thinking. At his hurt look, she hurries to clarify, "What I mean is, you wouldn't do something as sneaky and… immediate as what I did. You'd probably, I dunno… suffer through the whole year of his incompetence, only to force him to, say, fight a legendary ancient monster in the bowels of the school to save a fellow student, only for his own spells to backfire on him and do him in when he tries to turn on you."

"That was… oddly specific."

"Consider premonition of possible futures a gift of mine."

3\. Red and black and _pain_ become white and grey and the taste of hot chocolate.

Iris blinks at the hospital wing ceiling, only for that image to be replaced with big green eyes and messy black hair.

"You're awake!" Harry's voice, normally so dear to her, is grating on her raw nerves after days upon days of listening to death. Still, she manages to muster up a smile and a nod. Her vocal chords don't _feel_ ruined like they were last time, but it's probably better to be safe than sorry.

Harry takes one look at her and she finds herself pulled into a tight hug. He holds her in his embrace for long moments, working up the courage to whisper, "I was so worried."

"I'm sorry," she says, because she can't say anything else. He shakes his head and lets her go.

"It's not _your_ fault."

"What happened?"

"Dementors. They're these creatures that make you relive your worst memories. They were checking the train for Sirius Black, and they got you real bad. You've been out for a week. That's… that's not normal. Everyone was freaking out, because you collapsed and started screaming and _wouldn't stop_. They were thinking of taking you to St. Mungos!"

He looks at her with desperate fear in his eyes, and she feels terribly guilty. Now that she's taking a moment to notice, she can see schoolbooks and food trays scattered among the flowers and get-well-soon cards. He's probably spent most of his time here (not all, most likely. Madame Pomfrey and Hermione would probably make sure he got to bed and to class, at least) since she passed out. Her heart aches for him. He's not like her old family, loving but ultimately prepared for injuries and deaths from a young age. He's just a boy, despite their hardships, and she can see how close he is to breaking.

He can probably see her stress too, since he starts searching around for a topic of conversation. Unfortunately, he picks a bad one.

"What were you seeing?"

"…Nothing."

"I'm sorry. I know it was probably personal. It's just… what have you been through that's so much worse than me? We've spent most of our lives together…"

He would never understand. Not any of it. "Harry, it's not… look, maybe I'm just weaker than you are."

"You know that's not it! What have I missed? Why do you keep all these secrets from me?"

"Slytherin, remember?" She sneers. He recoils. She wants to comfort him, but she can't. Not right now. She's barely holding herself together, she doesn't have it in her to be strong enough for both of them right now. He doesn't leave, thankfully, though they spend a long time in silence. He glares at her, and she sulks, and they stew over their fight, but he doesn't leave.

He's still there to hold her when, over an hour later, she can't hold in the tears anymore.

4\. "Dragons. The first task is _dragons._ What in merlin's name am I going to do against _dragons_?"

Harry is pacing around the deserted classroom where he suddenly dragged Iris when she came in to breakfast this morning. He gesticulates wildly as he talks, alternatively waving his hands and mussing his hair in his panic. Iris's brain catches up to what he's going on about. She grabs him as he walks by, and wheels him around to look her in the eye.

"Whoa, what? Slow down! Breathe. We're going to get you through this, okay? So, the first task is dragons? What about them? Do you have to kill one?"

"Just get past it, I think."

"Like, just sneak behind it?"

"I think we have to get an egg from a brooding mother."

Iris's mind is whirling. "Are the eggs on the ground?"

"…Probably?"

Memories of long ago jutsu, and less long-ago experimentation play in her head. Internal-Shikako smiles and cries _Earth Walking Technique_! in her head. "Oh, don't worry Harry. I know the perfect thing for this. You're going to be fine. Just fine."

5\. The Room of Requirement goes quiet when Iris steps in. The sea of black adorned with Red, Yellow and Blue pauses to stare at her Emerald green. It's no worse than walking into the Chuunin exams with a shouting Naruto at her side, though, so she graciously ignores it as she makes he way over to where her brother is directing his friends in set up.

Or at least, she _would_ have ignored it, if a voice hadn't called out.

"What in Merlin's name is _she_ doing here?"

Iris turns to confront the sneering boy (McJagger? Something like that.) but another voice responds before she can get anything out.

"Is there any reason my _sister_ shouldn't be here, McLaggen?" Harry comes to stand at her side, staring the pompous boy down. Iris tries not to relax reflexively, but she can't entirely fight the comfortable feeling she gets from having her brother at her side.

"But she's a _Slytherin!"_

Iris rolls her eyes. "And you're a Gryffindor. Are we done stating the obvious, or were you just proving you're not color blind? It _does make_ things a little tricky in a fire fight if you can't tell the difference between a stunning spell and a killing spell, I suppose," she replies coolly. Harry takes her hand and squeezes it. It's their age-old way for him to subtly tell her, _Down, Girl!_

She maintains a carefully blank face at McLaggen's outraged sputtering, but runs her thumb over his to reply, _Fine. I'll play nice._

"Does anyone have a _good_ reason Iris shouldn't be here?"

"She wasn't at the meeting! She didn't sign the agreement!"

"Check the list again. I was running interference with Umbridge – you're welcome for that, by the way – so I couldn't be there, but I met up with Harry the other night to catch up and sign."

McLaggen glares, and a few other people look unhappy, but no one else has any protests. Harry scans the crowd a moment longer for dissent, nods his head once and starts the meeting. "I'm glad that's all cleared up, then. I'm here to teach you guys how to defend yourselves out there, and there's no one better to help me with that. Iris has been doing this as long as I have. Longer, really. She's probably second best here, so she's most qualified to work as my partner for demonstration."

Iris rolls her eyes, but happily takes the bait to ease tensions in the room. " _Second_ best, Brother? I'm going to kick your butt in front of all of these people for that."

Harry snorts. They banter through the rest of Harry's introductory speech and even into the first demos. At the end of the lesson, they finish the night with a quick duel. Iris wins by ducking under Harry's last spell and punching him in the nose. When she offers to hold additional physical combat sessions for anyone that was interested, the starry-eyed crowd actually seems willing to take her up on it.

6\. Harry's mind and emotions churn as he tries to get a grasp on everything that's happened tonight. Dumbledore, Snape, the False Locket… it's all just too much. He can't _think_ and he doesn't know what to _do…_ Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the others are there, trying to comfort him the best they can, though they themselves are all starting to crash as the battle adrenalin leaves them and tonight's events sink in.

They've sat him and the others in the Great Hall to better keep an eye on the 'children' who fought tonight. Most of the DA is here with them, though a few are apparently in the hospital wing. He had thought everything was taken care of, until he sees Professor Slughorn and Madame Pompfrey race by the open Hall doors.

"I thought you said no one from the DA was really hurt?" He questions the others.

"No one was," Ginny affirms with a frown. "I don't know what that's about."

"Oh, that's not for your friends." One of the loitering ghosts chimes in. The dead man is far too wound up by the 'excitement' of the destruction around them for Harry's taste. "Didn't you hear? Death Eaters attacked the Slytherin dormitories!"

Harry's insides go cold. There's only one reason Death Eaters would break into the _Slytherin_. He's moving before he knows it, catching up and surpassing the Professors (Putting Iris' training to good use, oh god, oh god, _Iris)._ He dashes down the stairs to a place he's only been to once, but adrenaline makes his memory sharp. He turns the final corner, shoving his way through the Slytherin students milling around out in the hall. Oddly, once they realize who he is, most of them step aside to let him in.

The common room is a mess. Harry sees evidence of a battle in torn drapes, scorch marks, upturned tables, and, in the corner, at least one dark shape that his mind struggles to identify as a Death Eater'sbody. If the visual signs of battle are bad, the smell is worse. Harry struggles not to gag at the smell of burnt and bleeding flesh. There really was a vicious struggle down here.

He had paused in the entryway to take all that in, but is startled back into motion by the commotion in the hall when Professor Slughorn and Madame Pomfrey finally arrive. He follows the two deeper into the common room, looking for his sister.

There! On the couch in the center, he finds a shock of red. Hair… and blood.

Iris lays weakly on the couch. Blood pours down her face from a cut above her eye, but the Slytherin students around her are too busy spelling water over her burnt arms and putting pressure on her leg and stomach to worry about it. The students move out of the Professors' way when Slughorn and Pomfrey approach. Harry inserts himself as well. While the adults work on her body, he stands on the end side of the couch, holding the compress Madame Pomfrey passes him to the deep slice over Iris' eyebrow.

"You're okay," She croaks with obvious relief when she sees him. He shakes his head in denial of the absurdity of the situation. He can't speak right now; it would probably just come out as hysterical laughter. How could she have possibly been worried about him, when she was obviously the one who had been in the thick of things? He wasn't even in the castle, and he was with _Dumbledore_ (don't think about it right now, _don't think about it),_ while she was right here, in a den of vipers, completely unprepared for this threat. (Because he hadn't told her. Not like he'd told the rest of the DA.)

She's smiling at him, oblivious to his distress. (Hopefully it's not forced. Hopefully its endorphins or drugs or even true relief and she's not _still_ protecting him even in this state.) He swallows and manages a weak smile back. He's still holding the bandage to he cuts and her arms are still being tended to, so he can't take her hand, much to his distress. "We're both going to be okay," he eventually manages to get out.

"Of course," She agrees, closing her eyes tiredly. It feels like ages before Madame Pomfrey and Professor Slughorn step back and pronounce her stable. They're staying to check the other students and start the cleanup, so they let Harry cast the levitation charms and take Iris' unconscious body to the hospital wing for the night. As they leave, Harry thinks he sees looks of respect and appreciation from some of the Slytherin students. _What in the world happened?_ He thinks. Another glance at his sister's (weak, too weak and injured) form puts too many awful scenarios into his head. He resolves to stop thinking about it as much as possible, and talk to her in the morning. She'll probably tell him.

He dreads finding out how much of this is his fault.

7\. Voldemort calls them all out of the Castle with rumors of her brother's death. She doesn't believe them until she sees Harry's body, limp in a sobbing Hagrid's arms.

Her stupid, noble, _Gryffindor_ brother went to face him and she knows it's her fault. Harry survived the books. He survived in a world without her and no happiness she might have brought him outweighs the fact that she looks at the body in Hagrid's arms and _knows_ it's Harry, knows it to her very core.

Voldemort's speaking, and Neville is screaming and nothing _matters_.

Iris has nothing left of herself she wants to hold onto, and everything to avenge.

Her hands move of their own accord. She's near the front, but Voldemort and his Death Eaters can't see her where she stands behind Professor McGonagall. Not that they would know what she's doing anyways. Old hand motions come to her like she never stopped using them. Her magic begins to pool at her feet.

A weak illusion covers her shadow as she extends it through the grass. Compared to that of Hogwarts, of Voldemort's presence, of the echoes of the spells that have been cast here tonight, the slight shifting of her magic is nigh undetectable. Her shadow passes into the mass of darkness below the assembled death eaters, and then into the forest beyond. She stretches and stretched, until the greatest mass of shadows she has ever touched is held under her control.

Voldemort is still monologuing when Neville makes his move on the snake. That's Iris' cue to cut loose. She pumps everything she has – her magic, her chakra, and herself – into the shadows in her grasp.

 _Shadow Paralysis complete. Shadow Double complete. Double Shadow Stitching… Complete._

With her grip on the Forest and the mass of Death Eaters behind Voldemort, she can functionally make her old _Shadow Devours_ genjutsu come to life. A writhing mass of shadows explodes from the Forbidden Forest and from Death Eater's feet. They never stood a chance.

Iris thinks she hears Harry screaming her name when she collapses.

1\. Crack-y Bonus:

"A _duel?_ You thought Malfoy was honorable enough to show up for a midnight _duel_?"

"…Yes?"

"You… thick… arrrrrrgh!" Iris tries not to shake her brother. It doesn't help that he still looks more

"Do me a favor? Try to talk to me before you run off on hair-brained rule breaking schemes."

" _Fine."_

Six month later, when Harry wakes up in the Hospital Wing after his fight with Quirreldemort:

"What did I ask you to do?"

"Tell you before I run off on hair-brained rule breaking schemes."

"And what did you do?"

A sigh. "Run off on a run off on hair-brained rule breaking scheme without talking to you."

"And where did that get you?"

"The hospital wing."

"That's right. The hospital wing. With me eating all your chocolate frogs as your punishment. Nyah."

She sticks out a chocolate-y tongue, and Harry rolls his eyes at her childishness. He knows her well enough to see how forced her cheerfulness and anger are. He takes her hand, looks her in the eye and says, sincerely, "I'm sorry I worried you."

"I forgive you." She squeezes his hand back. "Please, _please,_ get me next time?"

"I will. I promise."


	8. Side Story: Snakes and Wolves

Side Stories: Snakes and Wolves

AN: This one jumped on me when I started working on a prompt for a Sirius POV. That's still happening, but it wasn't willing to come until I got this little bit of angst out of the way. Uh, enjoy?

XxXxX

Remus Lupin falls in love at first sight.

Not romantically. There are still too many obstacles in his life for a werewolf like him to even dream of a romantic love right now. No, from the moment the werewolf first sees her, Iris Euphemina Potter is the apple of his eye.

The morning of July 31st, he, Peter, and Sirius are summoned to St. Mungo's with Patronus charms that simply say, _It's time._ They have to stay out in the waiting room while James and Lily disappear into the back, and then, they're left to hours of tense waiting before they get word that the _twins_ were safely born. James, the overprotective git, takes _forever_ to invite them into the hospital room after the twins are delivered.

By the time they're allowed in, James has stopped fluttering around in a panic (or, more likely, Lily loses her patience and snaps some sense into him) and Lily is sitting up in bed with the twins in her arms. James immediately scoops Harry up to meet his godfather. Remus is marveling, as he always has since the Marauders adopted him, that he's even included in this moment when he suddenly has an armful of baby girl. Iris. _His goddaughter._

("You're responsible for the next little bugger, Peter, assuming Lil's willing to go through that again." James assures the last marauder with a wink. "Don't call my godson a bugger, deer boy!" "Stuff it, dog breath!")

Large, dark eyes peer up at his panicked ones with a look that's far too intelligent for any infant, and the little girl smiles. Remus' heart melts. He smiles back, and gladly cuddles with the little girl to make her gurgle and giggle. Through it all, he is careful, oh so careful, of the precious bundle given to his care. Unlike her brother, Iris does not cry that evening. She simply falls gently asleep in his arms. Peter doesn't feel comfortable holding the babe, and Lily had fallen asleep before Iris, so Remus ends up taking responsibility for her while James and Sirius bumble and panic their way through Harry's first changing.

"You're a good girl," Remus coos when he's finally willing to set Iris back in her crib. The shift to the crib has woken her, but she still doesn't cry. "You're probably going to be keeping your brother out of trouble as you grow up, aren't you, little one?" Iris yawns in response.

Sirius finally gets Harry down, and the three friends take their leave of the hospital room for the night. Remus' rambunctious friend bounces his was out to the apparition hall in uncontained excitement. Remus joins Peter in rolling their eyes at Sirius' antics, though inside he's beaming with pride and excitement as much as Sirius is. It's just three days after the last full moon, normally a time of miserable recovery for him, and yet he's never been happier.

It doesn't last. Not a week after their birth, Dumbledore brings news that the twins are in danger. That Voldemort himself may be coming for them. The children can't possibly understand the news, but Remus swears his goddaughter shows fear at the revelation. She's certainly fussy enough the rest of the evening to be feeling distressed.

"It's going to be okay, 'Rissy. We're going to keep you safe," he soothes the crying child. She stops bawling and blinks up at him with that same strange intelligence from her birthday. He says again, "I promise everything's going to be fine." She smiles a toothless little grin like she believes him. Like she knows what he's saying and trusts him to keep his word. And he does, for a while.

He's not supposed to visit while they're in hiding, but Lily and James send him regular updates to make up for it. Little notes about their progress, like how Iris can hold her head up on her own or Harry's teeth are growing in. Pictures, like Iris taking her first wobbly steps. Letters that _swear_ Iris is teaching Harry to walk too. Confined as they are, Lily has time to include all the details, such that Remus almost feels like he's there too. Almost.

He and Sirius (okay, mostly Sirius) chip in to buy toy brooms for the twins for their first birthday. They also plan to make candies ("Lily'll never believe we actually pulled it off without blowing something up. It'll be a greater prank than just sending something store-bought!") to send for Halloween, but Sirius gets called to deal with a Death Eater raid. They postpone to November 1st (the twins don't know the dates anyways, and it's the spirit of things the counts). Sirius is late, though, so Remus gets the recipe started without his reprobate of a friend. He vows not to let the scoundrel lick the spoons when he inevitably shows up late with a stupid excuse.

Samhain morn, 1981, Remus Lupin is the last of the Marauders to learn of the Potters' fate. The wizarding world cheers and his oven smokes and all he can do is cry. That week, Remus buries three of his best friends and curses the fourth. He doesn't see Iris or Harry for one hundred and forty-four of the loneliest full moons of his life.

He does try to have contact with them, of course, but Dumbledore had already spirited them away to somewhere 'where they'll be safe' before he had even heard the news and the Ministry will not let a werewolf near The Boy Who Lived and his sister, godfather or not. He switches tactics to asking Dumbledore for updates instead. The older wizard convinces him its best for the twins to grow up in their own way, without wizards looking over their shoulders, so he gets no word until their first year at Hogwarts. Harry's the youngest seeker in a century. Iris is in Slytherin. That's about all he gets, and Remus is grateful for it.

Two years later, Sirius breaks free from Azkaban and Dumbledore offers Remus a job as the Defense Against the Dark Art professor. He knows the older wizard is only asking now to put another loyal body between the twins and The Traitor, but he accepts anyways. DADA curse or no, this is the only thing he has to offer to Harry and Iris, and he'll be damned if he lets them be harmed when there is anything at all he can do to stop it.

He later regrets falls asleep on the Hogwarts express. It's not even a deep sleep, just the light kind of napping that happens when you're traveling. He's vaguely aware when students join him in his compartment, and when they start moving. He doesn't stir, content to catch up on his sleep until a cold misery creeps up to suck at his heart…

 _I'm so sorry. It seems that Sirius betrayed them. Peter went to confront him… they're all dead…_

No!

 _"_ _Expecto Patronum!"_

He jolts up and a savage wolf tears through the dementors in the compartment and down the length of the train. Sanity retakes him as the foul creatures retreat.

It is only now that he is not concentrating so intensely on the spell that he notices the chaos in the compartment around him. Both of the twins have collapsed. Harry's lying still, and seems around be coming to now that the dementors are gone. Iris, however, is writhing on the floor, screaming. She doesn't show any signs of waking even once Harry is up and well enough to worry over her. Remus shoots a stunner at her. Her movements still but _she's unconscious now how is she still screaming?_ He doesn't know what to do.

He was right there. He was feet away from the goddaughter he was supposed to be protecting, and it didn't even matter. Iris is still out of it. He was supposed protect her, but she's still hurt. This _isn't supposed to happen._

With no other recourse, he sends two more patronusses to Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey. The train is pulling into the station by this time, thank Merlin. Iris needs help _now._ Remus scoops Iris up in his arms to head for the exit. She's still screaming. It hurts. Not just the sound, but that something is hurting her so badly that she screams in his arms, something she never did even as a baby. It's too much. A freezing charm forcibly paralysis Iris' vocal cords. In the sudden and uncanny silence that follows the children trailing after him try to ask him what's going on. He brushes them off.

"I'm taking her to help. Keep out of my way!"

Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey are rushing down from the castle to meet him at the station. He's forced to give his precious charge over to their care. He and Harry follow them up to the hospital wing, explaining what happened as they go. Severus is waiting for them there, and the bitter old man promptly throws him and Harry right back out into the hall. Dumbledore apparently has little to offer to either, as he follows them out only a few minutes later. The headmaster calmly assures them that everything that can be done is being done, and that it's best for everyone if they all go down to the Great Hall for the welcoming feast.

Remus grudgingly accepts this, as he has always accepted these things, and helps the older man coax Harry into coming with them. Dumbledore seems to think everything is going to be fine, so _everything is going to be fine._

Remus keeps telling himself that, even when Iris never joins them at the feast. He tells himself that when she doesn't come to breakfast the next morning. He thinks it when she's not in his defense class, and when the students are still speculating about it that afternoon, and when he goes to retrieve Harry from his vigil in the hospital wing for dinner. He says it in his head every time he remembers that even though he was _right there_ this time _,_ he still failed to protect her. Another failure in a list that's dripping with blood.

Remus didn't think he could loathe Sirius Black any more than he already did, but every day Iris doesn't wake up, he feels his hatred increase tenfold.

He still hates himself more.


End file.
